LGBTQIA+ History Month
Now that we’re in February, that means that it’s officially LGBTQIA+ History month! it’s time to pay even more attention than usual to our LGBTQIA+ history, with the aim of educating ourselves on not only how far we’ve come, but how much further we have left to go.
What is LGBTQIA+ History Month?
According to their official website, the overall aim of LGBTQIA+ History Month is to promote equality and diversity.
This is achieved through 4 main pillars:
1. Increasing visibility: ensuring that the history, lives, experiences and people within the LGBTQIA+ community are seen in our curriculums, cultures and communities.
2. Raising awareness: encourage people to learn about matters affecting the LGBTQIA+ community.
3. Safer institutions: ensure that all spaces are safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community.
4. Promoting welfare: make sure that LGBTQIA+ people are able to achieve their full potential in the education system so that they can lead fulfilled lives.
Key Dates in the UK’s LGBTQIA+ History
Over the years, there have been a lot of changes to the rights, representation and visibility of those within the LGBTQIA+ community. Here are some key dates that we think are worth celebrating, as noted on Stonewall’s official website.
1967 - The Sexual Offences Act 1967 decriminalises sex between two men over 21 and ‘in private’.
1969 - The Stonewall riots in America - a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the LGBT community against a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, Manhattan. This key event triggers the modern LGBT liberation movement in the US and beyond.
1972 - The first Pride is held in London, attracting approximately 2,000 participants.
1992 - World Health Organisation declassifies same-sex attraction as a mental illness.
1997 - UK Government recognises same-sex partners for immigration purposes.
2004 - The Civil Partnership Act 2004 is passed, granting civil partnership in the United Kingdom. The Act gives same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities as married straight couples in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
2010 - The Equality Act 2010 officially adds gender reassignment as a protected characteristic.
2013 - The first Trans Pride event takes place in Brighton.
2021 - The UK census includes questions on gender identity and sexual orientation for the first time, meaning that data can be gathered on the numbers of LGBT people across the country.
For a more detailed historical overview, you can check out Stonewall’s full timeline of events, as these are only a few examples in a complex and rich historical battle towards equality.
What are microaggressions?
According to an article in The American Psychologist, microaggressions are the everyday encounters of subtle discrimination that people of various marginalised groups experience throughout their lives. As we can see from the key dates above, while there have been lots of policy changes to better accommodate LGBTQIA+ people in our society, this does not always result in a change in people’s viewpoints, and so microaggressions continue to occur and continue to do damage.
Examples of Microaggressions and Why They’re Harmful
We all have a collective responsibility to hold ourselves and others accountable when we come across microaggressions, so that we can create and maintain a safe space for all marginalised communities.
Phrases To Avoid: LGBTQIA+ Microaggressions
“You don’t look/sound gay.”
“That’s so gay!”
“Which one of you is the ‘guy’/’girl’?”
“Oh, you just haven’t met the right man/woman/person yet!”
“Oh, you’re gay? Do you know XXX?”
For more examples of microaggressions, click here.
Why Are These Phrases Harmful?
While these phrases might not seem offensive, they can be damaging for people in the LGBTQIA+ community to hear. Phrases like these are used to imply that there is a ‘universal gay experience’ to which all gay people must conform, thereby implying a kind of failure by not meeting this expectation. This expectation of ‘what gay should look like’ is also often founded in untrue stereotypes that have been imposed on gay people. For example, it is often wrongfully assumed that gay men are interested in fashion just because they are gay.
Also implicit in phrases like this is the assumption that non-heterosexual couples must still conform to the heteronormative, binary logic of “guy+girl=relationship”, which undermines the validity, reality and visibility of non-heterosexual relationships.
Regardless of intentions, phrases like this can create an environment for LGBTQIA+ people that feels unsafe and/or uncomfortable, as it implies that their sexual orientation will not be well-received or will be misunderstood.
What Can Be Said Instead?
“Thank you for sharing that about yourself, I appreciate you telling me.”
“Would you be comfortable talking about…”
Support Services for LGBTQIA+ People
A lot of different experiences are included within the acronym LGBTQIA+, but it is important to remember that each individual LGBTQIA+ experience is different. Even people who use the same label to describe their gender or sexual orientation will likely have different experiences with discrimination, depending on a range of intersectional factors, such as family upbringing, class, race, etc.
We are so incredibly proud to have a range of LGBTQIA+ organisations in our community, such as Trans Pride Brighton, Inclusion Labs, Hidayah, and Freedom of Expression, who work to support and platform the incredible people in the LGBTQIA+ community.
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